Car Accidents

San Diego is proud of its military identity, from the Marines Corps Base in Camp Pendleton, to Naval Base San Diego that is home the United States’ Pacific Fleet. It’s nearly impossible to spend any amount of time in our beautiful city and not feel the history, awe, and presence of these fine institutions. Alongside them are other government organizations that protect and serve the citizens of San Diego, such as the Police Department, Fire Department, the United States Postal Service, even public librarians and school bus drivers. There’s a strong civic pride that is cherished in our city. Read the rest »

The technological revolutions of the past few years have completely changed American society. Unfortunately, when it comes to social media, those changes involve many pitfalls. Everyone, no matter their age or profession, should tread carefully when using social media.

Now that summer is well on its way, families around the country are hitting the road for family vacations. While air travel and cruise ships are not uncommon, the most popular form of transportation in the United States is still by car. That means thousands of vehicles will be hitting the California roadways soon.

Car accidents are on the rise nationwide. Driving while intoxicated, distracted driving, and excessive speeding are among the leading causes. To avoid suffering from a trauma-inducing accident while on vacation, we strongly advise taking these precautions before you start your trip. Read the rest »

Summer is here and that means time for a road trip! You’ve marked off everything you need to do on that checklist you made; things like getting sunscreen and insect repellent, all the way down to making sure your neighbor will feed the cats. But there’s a major item that may not have made it onto your to-do list, and it should be a priority: inspect the car.

Many people overlook this obvious item that needs some attention before a road trip. This can lead to all kinds of potential hazards that could ruin a perfect family getaway. Read the rest »

Prom night and graduation are two of the most exciting moments in a teenager’s life. They mark the end of childhood, and the beginning of the journey toward becoming an adult. Unfortunately, each year tragedy strikes families across the United States when a son or daughter is killed in automotive accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 2015 was the second consecutive year that the number of vehicle-related fatalities of teenagers increased: 2,358 teens were killed in 2015, compared to the 2,176 that died in 2014. Read the rest »

You know how annoying it is—the stoplight turns green, and the car in front of you doesn’t move until after you lay on the horn. Almost nine times out of 10, you see that the reason the car in front of you was so slow to respond was because that driver was looking at their smartphone. This phenomenon is not just annoying, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal, it’s causing a rise in auto insurance rates. And not just for the smartphone junkies, but for everyone. This is because distracted driving caused by smartphones is causing an overall increase in traffic accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal accidents increased by 7.2 percent in 2015. More accidents means the increase in payout costs is outpacing premium amounts for many insurance companies, forcing them to raise their rates across the board.

You more than likely came up with some form of the following as your answer: “So that the driver can see the road ahead when it’s dark.” That answer seems obvious, right?

Well, you would be 50% correct. What many drivers are unaware of is that headlights are also implemented so that you can be seen by other drivers. Maintaining visibility for other drivers is paramount in staying safe on the road, particularly during times of inclement weather. If it’s pouring down rain on the 805 during a busy commute home, it doesn’t matter if your vehicle is a bright red SUV, silver sedan, or a milk-white bread truck, without the headlights on, your car will be difficult to perceive by other drivers, and you will be a moving hazard and possible accident waiting to happen.

INNER MONOLOGUE OF THE MAN WHO HAS YOUR LIFE IN HIS HANDS: Hmm, nice outside today…(walks to car)…These new boots are remarkably comfortable…(unlocks car door, gets inside)…Wow, it still smells like that garlic pizza I brought home last night…(starts car, checks mirror)…Hmm. The ol’ eyebrows are getting a little long…(puts car in reverse, backs up)…Which one is NPR? Is it 3?…(pushes the “3” button on the radio, continues backing up and straightens out the car to move forward)…Man, I love Robert Siegel’s voice…(shifts to drive, moves forward)…These new boots are a little awkward for driving…(stops at stop sign)…Excellent question, Robert…(phone beeps)…Aw, damnit…(he fishes the phone out of his pocket as he turns onto a busy Carlsbad Village Dr.)…(he slides his thumb frantically across the face of the phone to open it) I’m sliding, damnit!…(he finally opens the phone and reads the text he just received as he approaches a stop light)…Ha, ha, ha! That’s hilarious!…(he tries to reply to the text, occasionally looking up at traffic)…Damn predictive text!…(he uses his knee to hold the wheel as he moves forward, using both hands to compose a text)…BAM!…(he crashes into another car)…THE END.

Every time we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, each one of us engages in an activity that we may not fully acknowledge, and that is trusting in the judgment of other drivers who will be sharing the road with us. We expect other drivers to use caution and drive attentively, but with the ubiquity of hand-held devices paired with the “down time” of driving, people often get too easily distracted.

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